Gas-engine.



w. E. ROBERTS & F. A. BULLINGTON. GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. I912.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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part are are WILLIAM E. ROBERTS AND FRANK A. BULLINGTON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON; SAID BULLINGTON ASSIGNOR T0 SAID ROBERTS.

GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. ML, 1915.

Application filed January 12, 1912. Serial No. 670,802.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. BOB- mrrs, a subject of Great Britain, and FRANK pending application of William E. Roberts,

one of the applicants herein, filed January 9, 1911, under Serial Number 601,602.,

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved rotary valve member for controlling inlet and exhaust ports to and from the cylinders.

of an engine, whereby to secure a more perfect action, and therefore a more effective operation thereof.

Other objectsof the invention will appear from the following description of one embodiment thereof, reference being had the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of'one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig.-- 3 is a similar view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing'the valve member in a different position; Fig. ,5 is a similar view showing another position of the valve member, the valve member in this showing having a water chamber provided therein; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7

' is asimilar view on line 7-7 of Fig.1; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a valve member provided with a water cham-' ber therein, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, we have shown the invention embodied in a gas engine with two cylinders 1 and 2, although it is to be understood that it can be conveniently andpractically embodied in any number of cylinders. In the cylinders 1 and 2 are the pistons 3 -and 4, andxaround said cylinders is provided theusual water jacket 5--5. Openmg into said cylinders are ports 6 and 7, adjacent to which and adapted to be intermittently. and alternately put into open communication therewith, is a gas inlet port 8 through the upper part of the cylinder casing, as indicated in Fig. 6, which is adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply. -Exhaust ports 9 and 10 are also provided adjacent said ports 6 and 7. These are adapted to be put intermittently and member, in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, P 4, 6 and 7, is of solid cylindrical form, while in'Figs. 5 and 8, I have shown a valve member provided in its interior with a water chamber for cooling purposes. This .valve member, whether solid or hollow, is provided around its face with a series of pass pockets 16, 17, 18 and 19 of special construction and so positioned as to operate to effectively open communication intermittently and alter-" nately between the gas inlet port 8 and the cylinders 1 and 2, through )ockets 17 and 18, and also intermittently and alternately open outlets from said cylinders through said ex.- haust ports 9 and 10, through pockets 16 and 19. Said pockets, in cross section, are

preferably of the form shown in Figs. 2 to 7,

and as to their longitudinal and circumferential extent are of substantially the proportions and form indicated in Fig. 1, pockets 18 and 19 being shown in full plan view, While pocket 16 is only partially shown, and pocket 17 is not shown at-all'in Fig. 1, but is shown in cross section in Fi s. 2 and 6.

'Pocket 17 extends from the mi dle portion of the valve member to the left and overlaps pocket:16 in the same manner as pocket 18 overlaps pocket 19, and is in position to connect inlet 'port 8 with\the cylinder port 6.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the breadth or circumferential extent of each of said pockets is greatest inthe portion thereof which is in' circumferential alinement with the respective ports 8, 9 and 10. This is for a purpose which will be again referred to. v

The valve member 15 is" revolved by means of beveled gears 20and 21, driven by a shaft 22, extended to and driven from a, gear upon the crank shaft of .the engine (not here shown, but'clearlyillustrated in the pending application hereinbefore re ferred to). These driving connections are so proportioned that the revolutions of the valve member 15 are timed with the crank shaft of the piston. In the present showing, they are so geared that two revolutions of the crank shaft equal one revolution of the valve member 15.

The valve body portions of the valve member 15 close the inlet and exhaust ports 8, 9 and 10 at all times during its revolutions until the pockets therein move into register therewith, whereupon they open communication between the cylinders 1 and 2, and the inlet port 8, or between said cylinders and the exhaust ports 9 and 10, as the case may be. The manner of opening and closing this communication constitutes an important feature of the invention, and is accomplished by the form of the pockets. By referring to Fig. 1, and particularly to pockets 18 and 19, which are shown in full plan view, and assuming the valve member .15 to'be turning in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon, the advancing. edge of the pocket 19, being straight throughout its length, opens communication "between the port 7 of the cylinder-2, and the exhaust port 10, whereby the products of the preceding combustion are allowed to escape through said outlet or exhaust port 10 during the time-said pocket 19 moved across said port 10 and the cylinder port 7. The rearward edge of said pocket 19 is irregular, as. shown,,s0 that the cylinder port 7 is closed first, thus permitting said pocket 19 to discharge its contents through the extension portion of the pocket which is in reg- I ister with the exhaustport 10, before the latter is closed, and thus avoiding pocketing any considerable amount ofsaid products. During the movement. of the pocket 19 across said ports and 10, pistontmo ves upwardly, forcing the products of combustion from cylinder 2, and through port 7. pocket 19 and exhaust port 10. Immediately after'the closing of port 7, and as piston starts downwardly, pocket 18 moves over inlet port 8, and cylinder port 7, so that with the downward movement of the piston 4, a supply of gas is drawn through inlet port 8, pocket 18 and cylinder port 7, into the cylinder 2. In order to permit of a. free flow of gas through said inlet 8 and'into said pocket 18, the advancing edge of said. pocket 18 is irregular, that is, it is provided with an extension which is in circumferential alinement with the inlet 8, so that there is a substantial opening of the inlet 8 before the cylinder port 7 is uncovered and the flowinto the cylinder 2, caused by the downward movement of the piston 4, commences. Said inlet port 8 and cylinder port 7 are closed simultaneously, as the rearward edge of said pocket 18 is straight. The piston I struction of valve member provided in its interior with awater chamber 26. In this construction the bearing ends thereof are hollow and are provided with supply pipes 21 and unions 25, whereby to supply water thereto for the purpose of keeping said valve member as cool as possible. Otherwise, said valve member is thesame as that shown-in Fig. 1, the pockets necessarily making the water chamber of irregular form. The simplicity of said valve member, with .the specially constructed pockets therein, arranged in substantially the manner indicated, provides an effective manner of opening an inlet from supply port 8 to either cylinder 1 or 2; for closing said port for the compression and explosion; and for opening exhaust ports or outlets'from said cylinders through the ports 9 and 10, substantially in themanner hereinbefore described. I

In brief, we have provided a simple valve member, which may be constructed with a water chamber in its interior for cooling purposes, and have provided in its face a plurality of pass-pockets of irregular or varying form, arranged in overlapping or staggered relationship, whereby said passsaid ports successively; that is, by reason of the varying boundary edge of each pocket,

it either moves first into register with one port and then the other, or moves out of register with one port and then the other. Referring to Fig. 1, pockets 18 and 19, and assuming the valve member 15 to be turning in the direction indicated by the arrow, the advancing edge of pockets 18 is irregular-or varying so that it first moves into register with the inlet port 8 and then with the cylinder port 7. Pocket 19 has an irregular or varying rear edge, with the result that it moves first out of register with the-cylinder port 7 and then out of register with the exhaust port 10. Thus,

by forming these pass-pockets with irregular'or varying boundary edges, we are enabled to secure a more effective opening and closing of the communication between the.

1,1ea,ecs

form of'the invention, but are aware that modifications can be made in the construc- 'tion shown for purposes of illustration without departing from the spirit thereof, and we do not, therefore, limit the invention to the particular embodiment thereof here shown and described, except as it may be limited by the hereto appended claims, broadly interpreted.

We claim,-

1. In a gas engine, a body having a cylinder and a cylindrical valve chamber therein with cylinder port affording communication therebetween, and inlet and exhaust ports at opposite sides of said cylinder port, a rotary valve member mounted in said valve chamber and provided in its face with pass pockets positioned in overlapping relationship with each other longitudinally and circumferentially of said valve member, each of said pass pockets being of varying dimension circumferentially of the valve member, whereby each pass pocket has one edge of irregular form longitudinally of said valve member, substantially as described.

2. In a gas engine, a rotary cylindrical valve member provided in its face with pass pockets arranged in staggered and overlapping relationship both circumferentially and longitudinally of said valve member and having boundary edges of irregular or varying form relative to a straight line parallel with-the axis of rotation of said valve member.

3. In an engine, in combination with a valve casing having three ports arranged in alinement with each other lengthwise thereof, a rotary valve member mounted therein and having in its face two pass pockets arranged in overlapping relationship to each other longitudinally of said valve member, the overlapping portions of said pass pockets being adapted to alternately register with said middle port as said valve member is revolved, and the opposite ends of said pass pockets being adapted to alternately register, respectively, with the two end ports, said pass pockets each being of varied dimension circumferentially of said valve member, substantially as described.

4:. In an engine, in combination with a valve casing having inlet and exhaust ports, a rotary valve member having a water chamber in its interior and provided in its face with pass pockets arranged in overlapping relationship circumferentially and longitudinally of said valve member and whose boundary edges are of irregular form relative to a straight line parallel with the axis of rotation of said valve member, substantially as described.

5. In a gas engine, in combination, a cylindrical casing, a valve casing with inlet and exhaust and cylinder ports therebetween, a rotary cylindrical valve member mounted in said valve casing and provided in its face with a plurality of pass pockets arranged in staggered and overlapping relationship circumferentially and longitudinally of said valve member and having boundary edges of irregular form relative to a straight line parallel with the axis of rotation of said valve member, substantially as described.

6. In an engine, in combination, a plurality of cylinders with inlet ports thereto and with pistons therein, a cylindrical valve casing longitudinally disposed crosswise of said cylinders and communicating therewith through said inlet ports, and having supply and exhaust ports, a rotary valve member mounted in said valve casing and provided in its face, in overlapping relationship with each other, with pass pockets having bound ary edges of irregular form relative to a straight line parallel with the axis of rotation of said valve member, some of said pockets acting as inlet passageways and some as'exhaust passageways, substantially in the manner shown and described.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto at Portland, Oregon, this 26th day of December, 1911,-set our hands.

.WILLIAM E. ROBERTS. FRANK A. BULLINGTON.

In presence of CHAS. H. Korr, E. T. REHFIELD. 

